TIME TO GET SERIOUS

Friends of Russell Kelly

I certify that these comments have been motivated by a real email I received in mid August 2010. Personal details have been removed to protect many involved.
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There are many in our churches who have already gone and are going bankrupt because of the tithing frenzy and are afraid to admit it. They have taken out loans “in faith” and have lost tens of thousands of dollars. This frenzy has even resulted in marriages breaking up and children losing parents.

Some have been encouraged to give a second and third tithe with the assurance that God will honor the sacrifice with monetary gains. Personally, I do not know who is the most to blame – greedy selfish preachers or greedy selfish givers. The con works both directions and the giver often receives the rewards he/she deserves by not searching God’s Word for the truth about tithing and spiritual giving.

The gospel of salvation as a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ is being replaced by a false gospel of prosperity which is motivated by greed. Thousands are leaving Christianity discouraged and deceived.

The prosperity false-gospel of tithing is quickly turning good soul-winning denominations such as the Assembly of God, Baptists, Church of God and Pentecostalism into poor examples of genuine Christianity. Just this week I have heard the cries of help from southern Chile in South America, to Nigeria and Kenya in Africa, to India, to Australia and New Zealand. This kind of mockery of the gospel will eventually sour people against Christianity and turn them towards Mohammedism. Is that what we want?

“I know many people who have left church because they saw God as impossible to attain. I did too once.”

When you give all you can give and hit the bottom financially, many of these churches will expel you because of little faith. Yet, while tithing is only mentioned once after Calvary, it is mentioned almost weekly in more and more churches as one of the most important doctrines of the faith. Friends, this is not so in church history.

“And whipped up by the excitement of the phenomena; and using a few examples of people that were already wealthy (rain falls on the good and the bad); several of my closest friends went into incredible debt and still are because of the inability to attain during that time of great world wide financial crisis and took out large loans “in faith” to receive a greater blessing. I know quite a few people who did just that, and it’s like gambling to them.”

I am still waiting for the masses ---the great majority of so-called prosperity tithers who have not been blessed--- to speak up and condemn this false doctrine. Common sense says that some will prosper. That is true even among atheists, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. It is wrong to showcase the few who do prosper (usually because of hard work and good business sense) as examples of the norm of prosperity tithers.

Phil 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung , that I may win Christ.

1 Tim 6:8-9 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Gal 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.